Three currently popular Hollywood films deal with some pretty heavy issues.
There Will Be Blood is set in the early 1900's and is a story about discovering and drilling for oil in the American West and how that affected two men, an entrepeneur and a young preacher. It is a tale of unbridled desire and greed. Deceit, manipulation, and hypocrisy show up, too. I'm reminded of the pointed inquiry of Jesus in Mark 8:36, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"
The movie Atonement is a drama about guilt and trying to find a way to deal with it. It concerns a young girl's misunderstanding and misrepresentation of some facts, perhaps in adolescent jealousy, and the bitter consequences that ripple out and impact several lives. The devastation that can result from one simple, brief moment of deception is vividly demonstrated. The painful tug of a tortured conscience and the intense efforts to assuage its gnawings are skillfully portayed here.
A little lighter but nevertheless still compelling is Bucket List. Two men, different in every way, are thrown together by sickness in the same hospital room. They each learn that their illness is terminal and that they only have a few months left to live. The bittersweet narrative has them teaming up and becoming partners in an attempt to enjoy the the short time they have remaining before they "kick the bucket". They draw up a list of all the things they'd like to do and then set out to accomplish them. There are lots of travels and exploits that keep them busy but along the way lots of discussions about life, death, relationships, unfinished business, and eternity come up, too. The film has you laughing and maybe shedding a tear or two as well.
I mention all this because it reminds us again that the secular culture around us, as dark and pagan as it is, grapples with deep matters of the soul and spirit. People are searching. They are questioning and looking for answers and sometimes their inner yearnings and longings spill out in the art that they create. We Christians need to constantly be alert and prepared to point them to the truth as the apostle challenged us in I Peter 3:15. Right now, as our friends and neighbors view these motion pictures, they're gonna be thinking all over again about these intensely spiritual concerns. We have a chance to move into their vacuum and void and offer hope and direction. Just like Paul did in Acts 16:30 when a desperate, almost suicidal man cried out "What must I do to be saved?" and just like he did in Acts 17 when he encountered the religious and philosophical confusion of Athens and presented the life-altering message of the Gospel that can transform the morass of godless thinking.
Of course we need to learn to be adept at asking questions, too. Questions that will open doors and springboard us into conversations about serious heart issues. That will move us beyond trivial, surface chatter about the weather and sports and politics and propel us into dialogue about those things that really matter, like what you do about sin and where can you find peace and how can you face death. Philip the evangelist, in Acts 8:30, asked one little cleverly placed question that initiated a chat and steered the discussion into fertile territory for a consideration of crucial topics. As a result, an Ethiopian government official became a Christ-follower and went back to his nation and made a difference. Sometimes an inquiry as simple as "do you ever give much thought to spiritual matters" can launch you into a talk that will enable you to sow a lot of seed and turn on a lot of light and may, just may, end up with your friend praying to receive Christ.
Let's always be sensitive to the opportunities right around us to bear a witness for Jesus. Even if it means using movie plots as ice breakers.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Monday, January 14, 2008
Working Together
Churches cooperating together in ministry is a good thing.
An old thing, too.
We see lots of evidences in the New Testament of congregations partnering with each other to get Kingdom work done. Apparently in those first century days many cities would have one church made up of many local, neighborhood fellowships spread out through an area and meeting in homes or caves or by riverbanks. It seems that these smaller, tangible expressions of that one church worked together much like our modern associations. It also looks like there was a beautiful collaboration between congregations in different cities. Rather than isolation or competition there was unity and a shared effort to evangelize the lost and disciple believers and minister to the needy. We can learn from that! There are insights to be gleaned from the lifegiving linkages among the earliest churches that can instruct us today about our joint labors as Peninsula Baptists.
If you check out 2 Corinthians 11:28 you'll find Paul, while writing about some of the hardships of his apostolic career, mentioning that probably his greatest pressure came from his "care for all the churches" which was an ongoing challenge. I guess you could say he was almost like a DOM. These various local fellowships would all have their struggles and problems and issues. He was concerned and burdened for them, and would pray for them and try to be a help. One of the obvious benefits of associational life is the mutual assistance and encouragement that comes through accountability and networking when our individual congregations go through difficult times. Knowing that others are praying for our church and that they stand ready to offer counsel and resources when we hit a snag is so comforting. We're in this great enterprise together!
You certainly see that in Paul's endeavor to motivate and organize all the other fellowships to raise funds to help the poor, famine-stricken Christians back in the original mother church in Jerusalem. Read it for yourself in I Corinthians 16:1-4 and 2 Corinthians 8-9. This massive gesture of generosity revealed a team spirit. It spoke of a commitment to see that all the churches were equally strong and equipped and prepared to do battle against our one common enemy, the Devil. Lots of fishing boats. Just one fleet. It makes little sense for congregations to try to go it alone in the hostile environment of today's culture when there is strength in partnership. It's foolish and a waste of precious time and actually sinful for individual assemblies to compete for numbers and dollars simply to look more "successful" than the church down the road when we're all engaged in the same task of pushing back the tides of evil and could accomplish a whole lot more by working with one another! Small and large churches, BGAV and SBCV churches, traditional and more contemporary churches , all standing arm-in-arm against the forces of darkness.
And don't forget the blessing that comes from simple fellowship with others in the united effort. The laughter and the occasional commiseration and the tears and the insights and the "iron sharpening iron" effect that comes when we're willing to bond together. Paul could tell you a lot about that, too. A glance at those points in his letters where he mentions lots of names of persons in various congregations that he knew and had been enriched by and impacted indicates that he realized that there is reciprocal benefit from shared ministry (Romans 1:11-12)in Christ. An association provides a structure for us to make many friends and constantly, creatively hone our skills and strategies in doing God's work. In Romans 16:3-4 Paul refers to Priscilla and Aquila and notes their hard work and sacrifice and example-setting, and indicates that their labors were known and appreciated by "all the churches of the Gentiles" which says to me that we get role models and fresh vision and renewed boldness when we cooperate together.
Let's hang in there, Peninsula Baptists! In fact, let's deepen our ties.
It's a joy to try to be of some help during these days.
An old thing, too.
We see lots of evidences in the New Testament of congregations partnering with each other to get Kingdom work done. Apparently in those first century days many cities would have one church made up of many local, neighborhood fellowships spread out through an area and meeting in homes or caves or by riverbanks. It seems that these smaller, tangible expressions of that one church worked together much like our modern associations. It also looks like there was a beautiful collaboration between congregations in different cities. Rather than isolation or competition there was unity and a shared effort to evangelize the lost and disciple believers and minister to the needy. We can learn from that! There are insights to be gleaned from the lifegiving linkages among the earliest churches that can instruct us today about our joint labors as Peninsula Baptists.
If you check out 2 Corinthians 11:28 you'll find Paul, while writing about some of the hardships of his apostolic career, mentioning that probably his greatest pressure came from his "care for all the churches" which was an ongoing challenge. I guess you could say he was almost like a DOM. These various local fellowships would all have their struggles and problems and issues. He was concerned and burdened for them, and would pray for them and try to be a help. One of the obvious benefits of associational life is the mutual assistance and encouragement that comes through accountability and networking when our individual congregations go through difficult times. Knowing that others are praying for our church and that they stand ready to offer counsel and resources when we hit a snag is so comforting. We're in this great enterprise together!
You certainly see that in Paul's endeavor to motivate and organize all the other fellowships to raise funds to help the poor, famine-stricken Christians back in the original mother church in Jerusalem. Read it for yourself in I Corinthians 16:1-4 and 2 Corinthians 8-9. This massive gesture of generosity revealed a team spirit. It spoke of a commitment to see that all the churches were equally strong and equipped and prepared to do battle against our one common enemy, the Devil. Lots of fishing boats. Just one fleet. It makes little sense for congregations to try to go it alone in the hostile environment of today's culture when there is strength in partnership. It's foolish and a waste of precious time and actually sinful for individual assemblies to compete for numbers and dollars simply to look more "successful" than the church down the road when we're all engaged in the same task of pushing back the tides of evil and could accomplish a whole lot more by working with one another! Small and large churches, BGAV and SBCV churches, traditional and more contemporary churches , all standing arm-in-arm against the forces of darkness.
And don't forget the blessing that comes from simple fellowship with others in the united effort. The laughter and the occasional commiseration and the tears and the insights and the "iron sharpening iron" effect that comes when we're willing to bond together. Paul could tell you a lot about that, too. A glance at those points in his letters where he mentions lots of names of persons in various congregations that he knew and had been enriched by and impacted indicates that he realized that there is reciprocal benefit from shared ministry (Romans 1:11-12)in Christ. An association provides a structure for us to make many friends and constantly, creatively hone our skills and strategies in doing God's work. In Romans 16:3-4 Paul refers to Priscilla and Aquila and notes their hard work and sacrifice and example-setting, and indicates that their labors were known and appreciated by "all the churches of the Gentiles" which says to me that we get role models and fresh vision and renewed boldness when we cooperate together.
Let's hang in there, Peninsula Baptists! In fact, let's deepen our ties.
It's a joy to try to be of some help during these days.
Friday, December 28, 2007
New Year Reflections
We can all learn something from King Herod of old about how not to enter a new year.
Granted, in Matthew 2 we don't find this ruler, who was mean and cunning and who loved extravagance and great building projects, necessarily launching into a new calendar period, but we do discover that he is about to experience a profound change in his life. Little baby Jesus has been born in nearby Bethlehem and His arrival will transform everybody's existence. For centuries to come. How Herod dealt with his own personal slice of this change can illustrate for us at this season what attitudes and actions to avoid as we move into 2008.
For starters, we shouldn't take fear into the next twelve months. When this monarch got word from the visiting wise men, who had traveled a great distance in search of this child, that a new king had been born, he became anxious and afraid. Read it for yourself in verse 3. Ultimately Herod's alarm and dread, brought about by what he perceived as a threat to his sovereignty, led him to do some foolish and destructive things. We live in troubled, turbulent times. It is so easy to be apprehensive and even to panic. But Jesus is here! He is at work behind the scenes slowly unfolding His divine plan in all the events of life and history. To spend our days in fear would be to waste valuable time and show irreverent distrust in God's loving providence and maybe even take foolhardy precipitous actions to attempt to preserve our sense of security.
We also must not carry ignorance of scripture into 2008. I find it interesting that Herod, upon hearing news from the inquiring Magi about a royal child's birth in a supposedly nearby area, had to ask somebody else about what the ancient Old Testament texts said about the location of His nativity. Notice verse 4. Yes, the chief priests and scribes were well trained in the Hebrew prophecies, and there was nothing wrong with consulting those experts for advice, but why wasn't the king himself aware of what the scriptures predicted about something so momentous that was coming? God has given His Word to all of us. We should be reading it. Studying it. Memorizing it. Pastors are equipped to help quide us but each of us should be feeding ourselves and soaking up the richness of the Bible.
Let's not allow deception to be part of our trajectory in the new year, either. When Herod learned that the long-promised child was to be born in Bethlehem, he sent the increasingly eager wise men off to that little town and pledged that he would venture there himself to pay tribute to the toddler when it had been authenticated that he was residing there. The King was shrewd and crafty. He was lying! Check out verse 8. He tried to hoodwink a lot of people but his hidden, evil scheme eventually brought disastrous consequences for dozens of innocent persons. Whenever we try to connive and manipulate and twist or shade the truth, we're opening the door to potentially harmful results. And by the way, anger shouldn't journey with us into the upcoming 12 months. Herod's fury is graphically demonstrated in verses 16-18. Any bitterness or resentment left over from this year should be dealt with and eradicated now so as not to poison and cripple our lives and those of the folks close to us as the calendar turns.
And certainly don't step into 2008 without Jesus! Verse 19 tells us that this wicked King Herod finally died. Lost. Never knowing Christ and life's greatest joy and fulfilment. Alienated from God. Avoid that mistake at all cost. If you are not a Christian, receive Jesus today. If you are a believer, make it your aim to draw closer and closer to the Lord in the year fast approaching.
Granted, in Matthew 2 we don't find this ruler, who was mean and cunning and who loved extravagance and great building projects, necessarily launching into a new calendar period, but we do discover that he is about to experience a profound change in his life. Little baby Jesus has been born in nearby Bethlehem and His arrival will transform everybody's existence. For centuries to come. How Herod dealt with his own personal slice of this change can illustrate for us at this season what attitudes and actions to avoid as we move into 2008.
For starters, we shouldn't take fear into the next twelve months. When this monarch got word from the visiting wise men, who had traveled a great distance in search of this child, that a new king had been born, he became anxious and afraid. Read it for yourself in verse 3. Ultimately Herod's alarm and dread, brought about by what he perceived as a threat to his sovereignty, led him to do some foolish and destructive things. We live in troubled, turbulent times. It is so easy to be apprehensive and even to panic. But Jesus is here! He is at work behind the scenes slowly unfolding His divine plan in all the events of life and history. To spend our days in fear would be to waste valuable time and show irreverent distrust in God's loving providence and maybe even take foolhardy precipitous actions to attempt to preserve our sense of security.
We also must not carry ignorance of scripture into 2008. I find it interesting that Herod, upon hearing news from the inquiring Magi about a royal child's birth in a supposedly nearby area, had to ask somebody else about what the ancient Old Testament texts said about the location of His nativity. Notice verse 4. Yes, the chief priests and scribes were well trained in the Hebrew prophecies, and there was nothing wrong with consulting those experts for advice, but why wasn't the king himself aware of what the scriptures predicted about something so momentous that was coming? God has given His Word to all of us. We should be reading it. Studying it. Memorizing it. Pastors are equipped to help quide us but each of us should be feeding ourselves and soaking up the richness of the Bible.
Let's not allow deception to be part of our trajectory in the new year, either. When Herod learned that the long-promised child was to be born in Bethlehem, he sent the increasingly eager wise men off to that little town and pledged that he would venture there himself to pay tribute to the toddler when it had been authenticated that he was residing there. The King was shrewd and crafty. He was lying! Check out verse 8. He tried to hoodwink a lot of people but his hidden, evil scheme eventually brought disastrous consequences for dozens of innocent persons. Whenever we try to connive and manipulate and twist or shade the truth, we're opening the door to potentially harmful results. And by the way, anger shouldn't journey with us into the upcoming 12 months. Herod's fury is graphically demonstrated in verses 16-18. Any bitterness or resentment left over from this year should be dealt with and eradicated now so as not to poison and cripple our lives and those of the folks close to us as the calendar turns.
And certainly don't step into 2008 without Jesus! Verse 19 tells us that this wicked King Herod finally died. Lost. Never knowing Christ and life's greatest joy and fulfilment. Alienated from God. Avoid that mistake at all cost. If you are not a Christian, receive Jesus today. If you are a believer, make it your aim to draw closer and closer to the Lord in the year fast approaching.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Something About Mary
I've always been impressed with young Mary in the Christmas story.
We Christians are definitely not supposed to worship her or channel her or try to pray to her but she is to be appreciated and respected. She is a good role model. Luke's Gospel reveals lots about her that is worth emulating.
Take her purity, for example. She came to her marriage to Joseph a virgin. Though her carrying and giving birth to God's son created suspicion and scandal on the part of those who didn't understand and couldn't believe her story of a Spirit-conceived pregnancy, we know the facts and believe the biblical record. We know that Christ's nativity was supernatural and miraculous in origin. And we are convinced that this teenager had never had sexual relations before her marriage. In our day, sexual experimentation and promiscuity is commonplace, and is proving physically, emotionally, and relationally damaging to millions of young people. Mary reminds us that it is best to stay morally clean and pure until your wedding day.
I'm fascinated, too, by this girl's sense of wonder at the mystery of God's workings. Luke 1:34-38 demonstrates that. When the announcing angel gave her a revelation that she found hard to grasp, she wasn't afraid to ask honest questions. And she did so respectfully. And when the angel's explanation was itself too incredible to fathom, she believed anyway and submitted herself to the will of God.
Sooner or later, all believers have to realize that there is much about the Lord and His dealings that we just can't figure out. He is so big. He is so great. It bothers me when I'm around Christians who act and talk like they know everything there is to know about the Almighty and spiritual things. With their charts and memorized verses and strong acquiantance with Bible facts they come across as armed to logically pontificate on all matters divine. They assume that God does everything the same way everytime. They put God in a box, perhaps unconsciously feeling that He can be controlled that way and they can be safe. Mary's experience suggests that our God is a mysterious being, far beyond the ability of our limited minds to completely understand. Certainly we should always be reaching out for more light about Him but never thinking that we've arrived and have all the truth neatly arranged and packaged and manageable. God will inevitably surprise us! Our proper response is to live on tiptoe and by faith and in submission to His leading. Having a lot of doctrine stored up in our heads or having a powerful testimony of something God did in our lives in the past doesn't necessarily make us experts in what God is up to right now.
It is true, though, that this young girl marvelously used by the Lord did benefit from having scripture stockpiled in her heart. In Luke 1:46-55, she draws upon Old Testament texts memorized to craft her own personal, straight-from-the-soul song of praise to God for His blessing in her life. That's one more thing I like about her. She read, listened to, and reflected on God's Word and it shaped her thinking and her conversation. It gave her hope for the future. A worthy goal for us in the new year about to dawn would be to spend more time in The Book, soaking up its treasures.
We Christians are definitely not supposed to worship her or channel her or try to pray to her but she is to be appreciated and respected. She is a good role model. Luke's Gospel reveals lots about her that is worth emulating.
Take her purity, for example. She came to her marriage to Joseph a virgin. Though her carrying and giving birth to God's son created suspicion and scandal on the part of those who didn't understand and couldn't believe her story of a Spirit-conceived pregnancy, we know the facts and believe the biblical record. We know that Christ's nativity was supernatural and miraculous in origin. And we are convinced that this teenager had never had sexual relations before her marriage. In our day, sexual experimentation and promiscuity is commonplace, and is proving physically, emotionally, and relationally damaging to millions of young people. Mary reminds us that it is best to stay morally clean and pure until your wedding day.
I'm fascinated, too, by this girl's sense of wonder at the mystery of God's workings. Luke 1:34-38 demonstrates that. When the announcing angel gave her a revelation that she found hard to grasp, she wasn't afraid to ask honest questions. And she did so respectfully. And when the angel's explanation was itself too incredible to fathom, she believed anyway and submitted herself to the will of God.
Sooner or later, all believers have to realize that there is much about the Lord and His dealings that we just can't figure out. He is so big. He is so great. It bothers me when I'm around Christians who act and talk like they know everything there is to know about the Almighty and spiritual things. With their charts and memorized verses and strong acquiantance with Bible facts they come across as armed to logically pontificate on all matters divine. They assume that God does everything the same way everytime. They put God in a box, perhaps unconsciously feeling that He can be controlled that way and they can be safe. Mary's experience suggests that our God is a mysterious being, far beyond the ability of our limited minds to completely understand. Certainly we should always be reaching out for more light about Him but never thinking that we've arrived and have all the truth neatly arranged and packaged and manageable. God will inevitably surprise us! Our proper response is to live on tiptoe and by faith and in submission to His leading. Having a lot of doctrine stored up in our heads or having a powerful testimony of something God did in our lives in the past doesn't necessarily make us experts in what God is up to right now.
It is true, though, that this young girl marvelously used by the Lord did benefit from having scripture stockpiled in her heart. In Luke 1:46-55, she draws upon Old Testament texts memorized to craft her own personal, straight-from-the-soul song of praise to God for His blessing in her life. That's one more thing I like about her. She read, listened to, and reflected on God's Word and it shaped her thinking and her conversation. It gave her hope for the future. A worthy goal for us in the new year about to dawn would be to spend more time in The Book, soaking up its treasures.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
' Tis The Season
Advent is all about waiting.
These weeks leading up to Christmas are designed to foster expectancy and anticipation as we look forward to the celebration of the coming of Jesus into our world. Of course we know that He has already arrived, 2000 years ago in fact, but nevertheless this is not some religious game we play each December. We need these days.
We are given the chance to slow down just a bit. To catch our breath. To reflect and meditate and self-examine and repent and prepare our hearts to welcome Christ just as John the Baptist encouraged the Jews to do centuries ago. For us, now, Advent has the dual purpose of getting us ready not only for Christmas but for our Lord's second coming, which could occur at any time.
I guess you could say that while this season closing in on December 25 is a period of waiting it is also a time of working. This stretch on the calendar is not really for inactivity but for labors of the soul that deepen and expand us and get us in position for something wonderful just up ahead.
It seems to me that our Peninsula Baptist Association is now experiencing an Advent of sorts. These are days of waiting. Of transition. Of imagining and envisioning the future that God has next for our fellowship of churches. Our beloved Director of Missions, Jim Ailor, has moved on and away to another field of ministry and so now we find ourselves pondering what the Lord has in store for us in the years approaching. It's a time to slacken the pace just for a bit, just long enough to do some serious evaluation and contemplation and decisionmaking. But it's also a time for great hope and excitement because who knows what incredibly awesome things God has for us just around the corner?
Associationally, this is a season for work, though. While we wait for and eagerly anticipate the next phase of our journey together as a loving partnership of congregations, there's stuff to be done. This is an era of unprecedented change and challenge in our world, our nation, our denomination, and even our local churches and we simply have to gear up and be ready to offer the greatest possible impact. As a body of cooperating congregations we must continue to shape up and become fitter and stronger and more and more poised to make a real difference in Kingdom pursuits.
These next several months, then, ought to be times of earnest prayer in our midst for God to clearly show us what direction we should take. This ought to be a year of dreaming, too. Of seeking a fresh vision. Of determining God's way for us to carve out our unique niche of involvement in fulfilling the Great Commission in our generation, in this time period that the Lord has given us.
More tangibly, now is a crucial point for our churches to make stronger financial commitments to the work of our association. Stepping up to the plate and providing greater resources for our shared ministry in this part of Hampton Roads will help ensure a brighter future. Will help shape that future, in fact. To put it bluntly, this is not a time to cut back!
Beyond that, this is a pivotal moment for continuing the good work of bridgebuilding among us. Our older saints and our younger people reaching out to one another. Larger churches and smaller ones joining together in ministry. BGAV and SBCV congregations realizing that Kingdom concerns should far outweigh any minor differences between us and shouldn't hinder us in the least from joyfully partnering with each other in the task of taking Christ to this needy Peninsula. The time is too short and the days too dark for Southern Baptists in this area not to unite and put their hands to the plow in a massive effort to reach people.
I'm encouraged this Advent. Any way you look at it something good is about to happen.
It's a privilege to have the chance to help out during this season. Feel free to call on me at any time. And by the way...Merry Christmas!
These weeks leading up to Christmas are designed to foster expectancy and anticipation as we look forward to the celebration of the coming of Jesus into our world. Of course we know that He has already arrived, 2000 years ago in fact, but nevertheless this is not some religious game we play each December. We need these days.
We are given the chance to slow down just a bit. To catch our breath. To reflect and meditate and self-examine and repent and prepare our hearts to welcome Christ just as John the Baptist encouraged the Jews to do centuries ago. For us, now, Advent has the dual purpose of getting us ready not only for Christmas but for our Lord's second coming, which could occur at any time.
I guess you could say that while this season closing in on December 25 is a period of waiting it is also a time of working. This stretch on the calendar is not really for inactivity but for labors of the soul that deepen and expand us and get us in position for something wonderful just up ahead.
It seems to me that our Peninsula Baptist Association is now experiencing an Advent of sorts. These are days of waiting. Of transition. Of imagining and envisioning the future that God has next for our fellowship of churches. Our beloved Director of Missions, Jim Ailor, has moved on and away to another field of ministry and so now we find ourselves pondering what the Lord has in store for us in the years approaching. It's a time to slacken the pace just for a bit, just long enough to do some serious evaluation and contemplation and decisionmaking. But it's also a time for great hope and excitement because who knows what incredibly awesome things God has for us just around the corner?
Associationally, this is a season for work, though. While we wait for and eagerly anticipate the next phase of our journey together as a loving partnership of congregations, there's stuff to be done. This is an era of unprecedented change and challenge in our world, our nation, our denomination, and even our local churches and we simply have to gear up and be ready to offer the greatest possible impact. As a body of cooperating congregations we must continue to shape up and become fitter and stronger and more and more poised to make a real difference in Kingdom pursuits.
These next several months, then, ought to be times of earnest prayer in our midst for God to clearly show us what direction we should take. This ought to be a year of dreaming, too. Of seeking a fresh vision. Of determining God's way for us to carve out our unique niche of involvement in fulfilling the Great Commission in our generation, in this time period that the Lord has given us.
More tangibly, now is a crucial point for our churches to make stronger financial commitments to the work of our association. Stepping up to the plate and providing greater resources for our shared ministry in this part of Hampton Roads will help ensure a brighter future. Will help shape that future, in fact. To put it bluntly, this is not a time to cut back!
Beyond that, this is a pivotal moment for continuing the good work of bridgebuilding among us. Our older saints and our younger people reaching out to one another. Larger churches and smaller ones joining together in ministry. BGAV and SBCV congregations realizing that Kingdom concerns should far outweigh any minor differences between us and shouldn't hinder us in the least from joyfully partnering with each other in the task of taking Christ to this needy Peninsula. The time is too short and the days too dark for Southern Baptists in this area not to unite and put their hands to the plow in a massive effort to reach people.
I'm encouraged this Advent. Any way you look at it something good is about to happen.
It's a privilege to have the chance to help out during this season. Feel free to call on me at any time. And by the way...Merry Christmas!
Monday, November 26, 2007
Surprise!
My good friend, fellow pastor Mark Reon, played a joke on me the other day.
Several weeks ago he had asked me to fill his pulpit in his absence since he would be away attending a wedding anniversary celebration for his parents in another state.
On the appointed date I arrived early, greeted those coming in for worship, and joined in with everyone else in the musical part of the service. When I stood to preach, I made some lighthearted, teasing comments about Mark to his congregation in my introduction. All of a sudden, I noticed that everyone had started smiling, giggling, and looking beyond me on the platform. I turned and saw Mark, walking out on stage from a side door!
It was just like The Tonight Show or Maury Povich or one of those old This Is Your Life events. Mark was smiling and talking as he stepped forward toward me. He feigned shock that somebody else was preaching in his place. Meanwhile, the audience is laughing and applauding and enjoying every minute of this surprise. Mark had gotten back in town early and had decided to come on to church, not only to hear my message but to shock me and perhaps even get me flustered. He's such a kidder! Anyway, I reached over and hugged him, and he went and sat down in a pew and I continued on with the sermon. It all made for a very warm and happy evening.
I went home and reflected on that delightful experience and saw a beautiful connection with Advent, the season we begin to celebrate this Sunday.
These next 4 weeks of meditation and introspection and repentance remind us that at just the right moment Jesus showed up! He simply appeared. At a time and in a manner that the world least expected, Jesus was suddenly there. And His coming has brought incredible joy and light and grace to this planet. I'm so glad that we have these 30 days before us to revel again in the celebration of Christ's nativity.
Granted, we're not waiting for His birth, though that happening is what we talk about. It has already taken place, 2000 years ago. We are in expectancy now over His return. His Second Coming. His second Advent. It could occur at any moment. We should hope that when He makes His grand entrance He finds us busy for Him! I John 2:28 challenges us to live in such a way that we will not be embarrassed or ashamed when He appears. In James 5:9 there's an even more stark picture and warning: Jesus is at the door getting ready to walk out, as a judge preparing to convene in a courtroom. The idea is that He can hear, even now, what's being said and done in our churches and homes and private lives. That may call for some straightening up and adjustments in our conduct.
So Advent is not just a portion of time on a calendar or a religious ritual. It's about looking forward to a coming. Eagerly, as Hebrews 9:28 says. Unsure of exactly when it will take place, as Matthew 24:42 suggests.
Ok, Mark, you really did surprise me and momentarily catch me off guard the other night. But I was prepared to preach and was enjoying the interaction with your good folks and so was able to quickly pick up and continue. I so long for that to be true when the King of Kings and Lord of Lords suddenly steps out on those clouds one day!
Several weeks ago he had asked me to fill his pulpit in his absence since he would be away attending a wedding anniversary celebration for his parents in another state.
On the appointed date I arrived early, greeted those coming in for worship, and joined in with everyone else in the musical part of the service. When I stood to preach, I made some lighthearted, teasing comments about Mark to his congregation in my introduction. All of a sudden, I noticed that everyone had started smiling, giggling, and looking beyond me on the platform. I turned and saw Mark, walking out on stage from a side door!
It was just like The Tonight Show or Maury Povich or one of those old This Is Your Life events. Mark was smiling and talking as he stepped forward toward me. He feigned shock that somebody else was preaching in his place. Meanwhile, the audience is laughing and applauding and enjoying every minute of this surprise. Mark had gotten back in town early and had decided to come on to church, not only to hear my message but to shock me and perhaps even get me flustered. He's such a kidder! Anyway, I reached over and hugged him, and he went and sat down in a pew and I continued on with the sermon. It all made for a very warm and happy evening.
I went home and reflected on that delightful experience and saw a beautiful connection with Advent, the season we begin to celebrate this Sunday.
These next 4 weeks of meditation and introspection and repentance remind us that at just the right moment Jesus showed up! He simply appeared. At a time and in a manner that the world least expected, Jesus was suddenly there. And His coming has brought incredible joy and light and grace to this planet. I'm so glad that we have these 30 days before us to revel again in the celebration of Christ's nativity.
Granted, we're not waiting for His birth, though that happening is what we talk about. It has already taken place, 2000 years ago. We are in expectancy now over His return. His Second Coming. His second Advent. It could occur at any moment. We should hope that when He makes His grand entrance He finds us busy for Him! I John 2:28 challenges us to live in such a way that we will not be embarrassed or ashamed when He appears. In James 5:9 there's an even more stark picture and warning: Jesus is at the door getting ready to walk out, as a judge preparing to convene in a courtroom. The idea is that He can hear, even now, what's being said and done in our churches and homes and private lives. That may call for some straightening up and adjustments in our conduct.
So Advent is not just a portion of time on a calendar or a religious ritual. It's about looking forward to a coming. Eagerly, as Hebrews 9:28 says. Unsure of exactly when it will take place, as Matthew 24:42 suggests.
Ok, Mark, you really did surprise me and momentarily catch me off guard the other night. But I was prepared to preach and was enjoying the interaction with your good folks and so was able to quickly pick up and continue. I so long for that to be true when the King of Kings and Lord of Lords suddenly steps out on those clouds one day!
Monday, November 19, 2007
News Wire
It's hard to believe but youngest son, Wes, graduates from Carson-Newman College in Tennessee on December 14. Vicki and I are so very proud of him. His finishing there is especially meaningful to Vicki because CNC is her alma mater. Ryan got his degree from Samford University in Birmingham where I attended before transferring and so his graduation had great significance for me. So I guess you could say we're a balanced family. At least when it comes to higher education, anyway. We look forward to trekking out to the Volunteer State for Wes' commencement in a few weeks.
I'm concerned about the release of the childrens' fantasy movie The Golden Compass on December 7. It's based on the first of a trilogy of books by an atheistic Britisher who despises Christianity and the Church. Using the genres of epic and fantasy, he attempts to discredit the authority and influence of the faith. He denounces the failures and mistakes and occasional injustices of the Church over the centuries. His portrayal of God is clearly heretical, and in fact, in the final book, God is killed off. Apparently he hopes that all 3 books will make it to the silver screen, so this first film will be milder in its approach, thus hooking innocent, naive boys and girls on dangerous falsehood. We need to warn parents. We also need to pray that the movie will bomb or that its influence will be muted. Further, we need to intensify our efforts to teach the truth about God and creation and all the other key doctrines. I'm not a book burner. I'm not for censorship. I do think we have to always be alert and on guard and vigilant when it comes to destructive error, however it's packaged. Each of us needs to be a well-trained apologist.
I'm excited about Christmas! I'm one of those people who doesn't mind starting all the decorating and seasonal music early. One of the classical stations on my Sirius satellite radio system began playing great Christmas music today and I'm really enjoying it. I especially like a lot of the British carols, and stuff by John Rutter. I want to get the most out of this magical season. It wouldn't bother me one bit if gift giving wasn't a part of this holiday. I delight in all the other facets of the celebration: family, get-togethers, colors, programs and pageants, decorations, and the music...especially the music. And the coming of Jesus inspires all of this.
I'm really bothered by the censure of Oklahoma pastor Wade Burleson by his fellow trustees on the Southern Baptist International Mission Board. And right here at Lottie Moon time, too. I admire Wade for his courage, his insight and vision, his gracious spirit, and his willingness to take a stand against the narrowing of possibilities for cooperation in SBC life. I can only hope that the negative, unkind, political action taken against him will either be reversed or lead to a groundswell of support for major changes in how our convention is led and how we do our work.
I'm concerned about the release of the childrens' fantasy movie The Golden Compass on December 7. It's based on the first of a trilogy of books by an atheistic Britisher who despises Christianity and the Church. Using the genres of epic and fantasy, he attempts to discredit the authority and influence of the faith. He denounces the failures and mistakes and occasional injustices of the Church over the centuries. His portrayal of God is clearly heretical, and in fact, in the final book, God is killed off. Apparently he hopes that all 3 books will make it to the silver screen, so this first film will be milder in its approach, thus hooking innocent, naive boys and girls on dangerous falsehood. We need to warn parents. We also need to pray that the movie will bomb or that its influence will be muted. Further, we need to intensify our efforts to teach the truth about God and creation and all the other key doctrines. I'm not a book burner. I'm not for censorship. I do think we have to always be alert and on guard and vigilant when it comes to destructive error, however it's packaged. Each of us needs to be a well-trained apologist.
I'm excited about Christmas! I'm one of those people who doesn't mind starting all the decorating and seasonal music early. One of the classical stations on my Sirius satellite radio system began playing great Christmas music today and I'm really enjoying it. I especially like a lot of the British carols, and stuff by John Rutter. I want to get the most out of this magical season. It wouldn't bother me one bit if gift giving wasn't a part of this holiday. I delight in all the other facets of the celebration: family, get-togethers, colors, programs and pageants, decorations, and the music...especially the music. And the coming of Jesus inspires all of this.
I'm really bothered by the censure of Oklahoma pastor Wade Burleson by his fellow trustees on the Southern Baptist International Mission Board. And right here at Lottie Moon time, too. I admire Wade for his courage, his insight and vision, his gracious spirit, and his willingness to take a stand against the narrowing of possibilities for cooperation in SBC life. I can only hope that the negative, unkind, political action taken against him will either be reversed or lead to a groundswell of support for major changes in how our convention is led and how we do our work.
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